A Paladin's Fight
by cyberfrogX
Summary: Short Story: Dystrin, a paladin, faces Diablo and Baal. Mephisto chapter added.
1. Mephisto

"Your too late, my brothers have escaped you," the demon's voice echoed in the mind of the paladin. The sounds of battle reverberated throughout the chamber as the young necromancer and the Vizjerei sorcerer that traveled with him held the master demon's minions at bay. This was his chance; he could slay the lord of hatred here and now and avenge his brethren.

"It doesn't matter if your brothers are not present demon" spat the paladin, "I will find and kill you all."

"Young mortal, your belief in yourself is commendable; I shall enjoy breaking your soul and listening to your eternal screams as your world collapses around you. At this Mephisto's four arms came together with bright, glowing energies gathering at their centers. A large ball of swirling, white lightning was sent flying toward Dystrin. He jumped out of the way and it slammed into a nearby wall, cracking and splitting it until the wall collapsed.

The whole place shook for a moment, as the paladin readied his body to strike. The moment the quake stopped, Dystrin leapt at the creature, his trusty crystal blade pointed at its black heart. Seeing this, Mephisto's soul mist flared up creating a wall, a wall with which Dystrin found himself soon acquainted with.

Mephisto grabbed the paladin by the neck and lifted him up off the cracked, stone floor. "Your soul will belong to me soon mortal," hissed the demon, "but first you will suffer, suffer until your hate is so pure that it has no direction."

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Zaren was in the middle of a revival ritual when the quake suddenly hit. Her dagger was sent flying off into the ranks of the demons that she was working against as she tried to stabilize her body. 'Damn!' she thought, 'now it will take twice as long to raise this thing to its feet.'

The demons recovered quickly after the quake stopped, and the sorcerer would have been killed had one of Zaren's skeletons not blocked the foul creatures axe. The mage took no time to start chanting his incantations again; helping the few minions that Zaren had managed to raise to defend the paladin's back. The sorcerer's power wouldn't last forever though, and she was also running low on potions to restore her spirit energies.

With one last word of power the deceased demon before her pushed itself to its feet. It charged into battle with the rest of her faithful dead soldiers. The ghoul found itself right back by her side, however, when a bolt of red lightning sent it flying back there. One of the corrupt council members walked down the steps, throwing Zaren's guardians aside. He had her dagger.

"I told you fools that you shouldn't have come here," the fallen priest said, "and now it looks like I will have to kill you for your insolence." Zaren's minions resumed holding the rest of the creatures off as to her command. She just hoped they could holdout until the magician and she could kill this tainted human.

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Lightning pulsed from Mephisto's hand into the body of the paladin. His felt as if his very soul was burning up, he almost wished he were dead at that moment. The Lord of Hate threw the warrior into a nearby wall, and began summoning up some more energy.

Dystrin turned around and dodged a bolt of lightning. Steadying himself, the paladin faced the dark lord. Mephisto glared at the warrior with such hate that Dystrin's armor began to rust. The paladin charged the creature, shielding himself with his own virtue. White light poured over his armor as he neared the demon, the crystal blade flew forth and pierced Mephisto's lower left arm. The magic of the blade discharged into the arm and froze it solid.

The Demon backed off, screaming with such anger that the very ground beneath him lit ablaze. The hellfire melted the frozen arm as a bolt of holy energy stuck the flame barrier. The demon's hellish eyes turned once more to the mortal man before him. With all of his unearthly might the demon charged the paladin, pestilence radiating forth from his corrupted body.

Dystrin raised his shield to meet the frenzied demon. Mephisto slammed into the blessed shield causing Dystrin to move back several feet. The poisons pouring from the demonic body of the lord of hatred quickly invaded the paladin's body. Dystrin immediately felt weaker; however, a quick prayer to the heavens filled his body with purity and clarity. His strength returned just in time to block Mephisto's claws from cleaving his body in two.

Backing off, the demon raised its hands to the ceiling. Dystrin felt electric energies from all around the room gather to Mephisto. Then a wave of electricity emitted from its body. Dystrin knelt down and prayed again; a lightning barrier forming around him in response. The wave passed by the paladin with little ill effect.

Standing up Dystrin was caught off guard when an angry spirit appeared before him and punched him in the face, sending him flying back. The lord of hate laughed wickedly as he sent another huge ball of lightning flying toward the paladin. Dystrin sat up too a white light.

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The mage and Zaren both flew back as an unexpected bolt of red lightning hit their chests. The necromancer recovered first, summoning up some of her necrotic power, and sending a few bolts of poison flying at the deformed creature. It blocked a couple but most of the bolt hit their mark, rotting the nearby flesh. The creature howled as many little spots all over its body rotted threw.

The mage had been chanting, and when he finished his body flashed with a bright red light and a flaming humanoid form ran out from this flash and collided with the evil priest. Even as it was flying backward the creature threw a fireball at the mage. The sorcerer was prepared this time however and had covered himself in a mana shield. The fireball hit the shield with no ill affect on the mage.

Zaren had finished her own incantation at this time and a spear of bone pinned the once holy man to the wall. A wave of flames flew forth from the mage's hand and slammed into the wall where the hellish priest was pinned. The charred creature forced itself off the end of the spear and screamed in pain and fury.

As it screamed a ball of pure magic caught it in its torso, knocking it into a nearby pillar. The creature recovered in an instant and charged the mage, as its flesh continued to burn. Zaren thanked her patron as a few of his teeth buried into the fallen priests back. She was too late, however; it had jumped at the sorcerer as her bone teeth, and the wizard's fireball hit it. Its body violently exploded two feet from the mage, tearing his body apart as well.

Zaren approached the mage's remains and pulled her dagger out of what was once his chest. She also saw he had used all but one of his mana potions. "Sorry my friend," she said grimly, "but I'll need this more than you." She turned back toward the entrance and found that her minions were few and badly injured. She summoned up a wall of bone in the doorway and had her remaining servants bring her some fresh corpses.

She performed a quicker ritual on a couple of them, hoping to fill her army's ranks before the demons broke through the bone wall. The skeletons of the monsters ripped through their own bodies and rushed over to the failing gate. On the corpse of a rather large humanoid, Zaren decided to perform a revival ritual. A minute later the wall collapsed completely as a fireball hit it from the other side. The huge brute was just 'waking up' as this happened; he charged at the doorway knocking back most of the demons bent on getting through.

Zaren's face fell when she saw another one of the corrupt priests pushing his way toward her. She muttered a little prayer to Trang-Oul and ran her dagger across her hand. The blood that dripped onto the floor began to bubble up and grow. Flesh began forming as it grew larger and bones began sprouting out to hold the golems form. Once complete, the blood golem charged the evil priest and torn into him with its first slash.

The as priest and golem fought, Zaren began summoning all the necrotic energies she could find into her soul. Praying to Trang-Oul, and chanting a long incantation, the necromancer focused these energies. Deep blue flames engulfed her body, and as she pointed her hands forward, a screaming soul flew from these fires. It slammed into the corrupted priest, tearing his soul from his body and returning, with the soul, to the necromancer.

The bone spirit reentered its realm through her body and she fell to one knee in exhaustion. She drank the last blue potion she had, and looked toward the horde of demons still trying to force their way in. She really wished that paladin would hurry up in there.

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"Ahh!" Screamed Dystrin. The ball had hit him full in the chest before he could shield himself. His body cracked against the stone wall. At this time his left gauntlet decided to split and flew off his hand, carrying his shield with it. Pulling his reluctant body to its feet, he sheathed his crystal blade and took out his old silver two-hander.

Mephisto tossed another bolt of electricity at the paladin; however, the silver blade absorbed the energy of the bolt. Dystrin swung the blade around and the bolt it had absorbed flew out at the very Demon who summoned it. A spirit appeared in front of the demon lord and took the blow for him though.

Seeing this, the paladin realized for the first time that he would get no where fighting fire with fire, especially when his was the weaker flame. He had to think; this demon drew its power from hate, from the hate of the souls around him. The demon was too busy gathering the hatred the spirits had into itself to notice the paladin's demeanor change. An aura of hope and redemption surrounded the holy warrior and, one by one, the spirits let go their hate and listened to the hymn Dystrin was softly chanting.

Mephisto's power ebbed slightly as the hostile feelings in the room began to dissipate. The master demon screamed in rage, protesting the paladin's hopeful chant. He charged Dystrin, but was shocked when the very spirits he had drawn his power from held him back. A soft white hue surrounded the paladin and an angel's faith possessed his soul. His large blade was alight with white fire and Mephisto struggled with all his unholy might to get free of the spirits.

"This is not your realm demon, nor will it ever be," the paladin's voice sounded with all the authority, and power, of an arch-angel. The demon screamed one last time as the blade plunged into its black heart. Mephisto's last sight was of the burning white fire in the paladin's eyes.

Dystrin picked up the glowing yellow stone before rushing off to see how Zaren was fairing.

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Summoning many bones to armor her body, Zaren and two skeleton warriors stood facing a slowly advancing horde of demons. She was firing off bolts of ethereal energy at any of the creature than dared get within ten feet of her. Her spiritual energy was dangerously low however, and she had no way of replenishing it. Right at this moment she realized just how much she missed fighting side-by-side with Dystrin, even if he was a holy ass paladin.

A small pygmy skeleton jumped at her from her left side. The skeleton there was more that a match for it, but this was what the rest of the creatures had been waiting for, a distraction. They charged full force, and would have kill the necromancer if a wave of white fire hadn't swept through their ranks.

"Come on girl!" yelled the paladin. She never thought she would be so happy to see his smug face. Barely resisting the urge too pounce on him and hug him to death, she ran with him.

"Where are we going?" she suddenly asked, realizing they were running deeper into the temple.

"I found another way out" said the paladin simply. They ran until they came up to 'the way out'. She stared in disbelief.

"Isn't this the gate to hell!" she screamed at him, not thinking that he actually was thinking about going through it.

"Yeah," he said "I think it is." She didn't like the way he was smirking. "Ladies first" he laughed, though she couldn't tell if he did it out of fear or humor. Sighing deeply, and hearing the nearing screams of the damned, she stepped through. Half-way through, however, she turned around and grabbed the paladin's arm, pulling him in with her.

They were flying through a tunnel of flames and darkness, the necromancer hugged tight to the holy warrior in spite of herself. As they tossed and turned, flying at an incomprehensible speed, a fork in the tunnel appeared ahead. The right tunnel was white and had an angel guarding it, the left was the same as the one they were in now.

The angel stopped them and pushed them into his tunnel. They went faster and faster until white light was all they could see. The next thing they knew they were laying on the floor of the last angelic bastion before the gates of hell. Zaren heard some weird gurgling sounds and peeked up at the paladin's face, it was purple.

She let go, stood up, composed herself, and tried to stop blushing. Meanwhile Dystrin didn't move except for his sputtering and coughing, trying to regain his breath.

"What is wrong with you lady, your type isn't supposed to fear death," he said standing up, and rubbing his neck.

"Hey, just because we don't fear it doesn't mean we want to throw ourselves into it!" she yelled, getting defensive. "Besides, I have a quest to fulfill and would hate to be called a quitter," she stated as if death was a choice in their situation.

"You know what I think," said the paladin. Zaren groaned; he had that sly smile on his face again. "I think you like me; why else would a necromancer fear dying if not for losing the one they love?"

"Well," she started. "First reason, I don't want to suffer in this hell for eternity; second reason, I have a job to complete; last reason, I cannot let you take all the credit," grinning when his face fell in disappointment.

"Hypocrite," the paladin muttered as he hurried past her to get his armor repaired. She walked over a lady standing nearby and bought some potions. The paladin was standing at the top of the stairway over looking a decimated land when she finished. "So this is our next step…"

"Hey!" Zaren said loudly right behind him. He jumped and started falling forward. He spun around and grasped on the only thing he could find, a startled necromancer. They tumbled down the steps and ended up landing at the base of the stairs.

The necromancer sat up and realized they were surrounded by demons. She looked down at the paladin she was sitting on and they both yelled at each other, "Idiot!"

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Just thought I needed to have all three hellish brothers in this story. :) This is the thrid and final chapter for now.


	2. Diablo

If you have never played the game, this story could be quite confusing.  
  
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He stood there, sweat dripping down his face and onto his helm. He blinked and gazed at his surroundings. He was in the worst place a mortal could ever imagine being, hell. Behind him he heard the savage battle between Zaren, the necromancer that had decided to travel with him, and the swarm of demons trying desperately to reach their master inside the chaos sanctuary. The paladin just hoped she could hold them back long enough for him to finish what he started.  
  
In front of him he could see his hand that held the glowing blade that had saved his life many times now. It was an enchanted crystal sword, which froze anything he struck. Beyond the pulsing blade, however, stood the hellish creature he had come to kill. The full height of the beast was unknown to Dystrin, the paladin, but even hunched over it was well over eight feet. Terror was flowing through Dystrin's body, but with his faith to protect him, it didn't affect him as much as it should have.  
  
The demon lord breathed out a black cloud of smoke before throwing a stream of lightning at the holy warrior. Dystrin jumped to the side, avoiding the lethal energy, and threw one of the small throwing knives he had at the creature. It struck Diablo in the shoulder, opening a small cut, before falling to the ground harmlessly. The demon grinned at Dystrin diabolically, and then charged him, with the small cut quickly healing.  
  
'I better start thinking if I expect to win this battle,' Dystrin thought. He rolled to the side, barely avoiding the demon's claws. He pivoted on the ball of his foot as soon as he was back on his feet, and stabbed at the huge mass of red flesh that stood before him. The blade pierced Diablo's side, sliding in between a couple of the demon's ribs.  
  
The yell that came from Diablo's mouth shook the sanctuary. Dystrin jumped back and watched as a portion of the demon's side froze. The blood that spilled forth from the wound burned holes in the rocky ground. The demon swiftly turned toward the paladin, and before Dystrin could react, barreled into him. He flew back twenty feet and skidded another five before he stopped and was able to return to his feet. He faced the demon lord, dazed, just in time to see a ball of magma flying at him.  
  
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She stood over another deceased demon, chanting a ritualistic revive spell. After about ten more seconds the dead venom lord rose to his feet and blankly stared at Zaren.  
  
"Go," she said pointing toward the door where her other minions were holding back the tide of demons trying to get in. She leaned back against the wall a moment to recover from her mass mana excursion. Her hand went to her belt, and she took a drink of one of the bluish potions. A bolt of energy shot though her body and she once again opened her eyes.  
  
Her revived minions were easily holding the legions of hell at the door of the sanctuary for now. How long would it be before her magic gave out and she ran out of potions, however, she didn't know. Looking down she saw she had only one potion left. "Just great!" she cursed. He had better hurry up in there or he would have more than one demon to deal with. She then turned toward the door to see if there was any other way that she could delay the demonic assault.  
  
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Dystrin lifted his tower shield, and blessed it, just in time to block the ball of molten rock. As it hit the shield, the holy energy protected the metal, and the lava slid off onto the ground. The paladin looked again to see what his enemy would do next.  
  
The demon was curled into a ball with his demonic hands clasped together. Red rays of energy were shining outward from Diablo's clawed hands, and soon he threw what turned into a flaming spirit at Dystrin. The spirit howled horribly while flying toward the paladin. He managed to sidestep the spirit, but as he watched, it turned around and flew toward him once again. Dystrin concentrated his spiritual power in his left, shield, hand and let fly a bolt of holy energy. It collided with the spirit and after a bright, soundless explosion of energy both had disappeared.  
  
The demon lord's grin had turned into a hideous scowl. Dark energy radiated from the demon's hands and he focused a mass amount of energy into an area between the paladin and himself. Reality started to warp in that area and soon a black portal had opened. Two venom lords made their way through before the portal collapsed. Diablo's malicious grin had returned.  
  
"This will make things a little more difficult," said Dystrin as the two demons approached him.  
  
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'What is he doing in there?' thought Zaren. She had just used her last mana potion and her minions where looking worst every passing moment. She said a silent prayer to Trang 'oul and summoned up two bone spears to knock the crowd of demons back. She then used her magic to form a bone wall in the doorway to allow her revenants to rest and heal.  
  
In no time the demons were at the wall knocking there way through. Zaren could hear their savage growls as they ripped into the wall. Fragment by fragment they were making their way through the wall. Her minions were not fully healed yet but they would have to last.  
  
As the demon finally broke through the wall, Zaren saw that a couple of them up front had been crushed to death. Silently telling her revived to back off; she concentrated on the body that fell trough the breach first. As the first scavenger climbed through the missing segment in the wall, the body exploded. The demons nearest to the door were blown to pieces while the beasts and devils further away were thrown back.  
  
"That should do for the moment thought Zaren proudly. But her face fell as a demonic snout peered around the corner and saw her. "Guess not," she growled, gritting her teeth. Her minions fell on the creature immediately, and soon it was nothing more than a pile of ruptured flesh and broken bone. It had not been alone however, and soon the battle for the door was on once again.  
  
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Dystrin quickly uttered a prayer to the angels in the high heavens and focused his energy into a spinning hammer that rotated out and smashed into the two demons charging him. They both lost their swords and the demon on the right had been knocked down. The left venom lord sped up his pace, continuing its charge without its ally.  
  
The paladin knelt down on one knee and put up his shield in front of him. The demon made as if to knock the shield aside, but Dystrin sprung up toward the beast. He first slammed the shield into the demon's chest, knocking it back. As the demon charged to retaliate, the paladin planted his left foot behind him, and flipped the demon over his head using his shield and shoved his blade deep into the demon's left side before it went flying behind him.  
  
Dystrin turned to face his demonic opponent, only to find a pile of melting ice. He turned to face the other demon just in time to find a fist in his helm. The helm spun off, misshapen, and hit the ground a few feet from where Dystrin landed. The paladin returned to his feet just in time to parry another attack. They fought fiercely, but due to the paladin's enchanted sword, the demons clawed hands were soon nothing more than melting knobs of ice.  
  
Dystrin knocked aside a blow from the knob now left to the venom lord with his shield, and planted his sword into its black heart. The demon froze and quickly melted in the extremely warm environment.  
  
Unfortunately for the paladin, Diablo had not just stood idly by and watched the battle unfold. The greater demon now held the two swords that had been dropped. The red-orange energy emitting from the two swords suggested that Diablo had enchanted them while Dystrin had fought the two venom lords. The paladin also noticed that the icy wound in the demon's side had healed only a little.  
  
He noted this in his mind and charged the creature, using his spiritual power to boost his speed. Diablo crossed the swords in front a him and braced himself for the attack. The paladin smashed into the twin blades and pushed the greater demon back a few feet. Then Diablo knocked the paladin back with a swish of one sword.  
  
They glared at each other before they collided, and battled fiercely. Diablo, having centuries upon centuries of experience in battle was turning out to be the superior combatant. He constantly was pushing the paladin back and knocking him down.  
  
Even with his superior skill, however, he was having trouble landing any serious blows, or inflicting any mortal wounds. The paladin was using his faith and spiritual power to make himself faster and stronger than any other mortal Diablo had yet faced. The holy warrior even healed any hindering wound that the demon managed to inflict.  
  
Finally tired of the mortal man's antics, the greater demon pounded the paladin's shield with all of his demonic strength. The shield shattered, the infused holy power throwing both combatants away from each other. Diablo stood up first, his red skin steaming, and his horns blackened with burns from the holy magic. When the paladin stood up however, he looked revitalized.  
  
Dystrin grinned, seeing the demon lord burned and damaged put some hope into his soul. Then an aura of fury surrounded him and the world turned red. He charged the stunned demon, knocking him back. Diablo recovered from the blow quickly and swung his swords at the paladin. With the new aura, the paladin's speed had been greatly enhanced, and he easily dodged the demon's attack and slashed his side twice before having to parry another attack. Diablo felt his other side freeze up a bit, this limiting his movement even more.  
  
The paladin didn't slow down however, and soon Diablo had icy injuries all over his body. The demon's skin glowed a light red color for a second and then a circle of fire flew outward, knocking the paladin back. The master demon fell to his knee, with the last of his power ebbing. He looked up at Dystrin standing above him.  
  
"If I had been at my full power mortal," the demon said, "you would've died quickly."  
  
"I thank the high heavens you weren't then," said the paladin raising his sword.  
  
"This is not the end, mortal," said Diablo as the paladin slashed deeply into his body.  
  
Dystrin took a few steps back as the demon's body swiftly decayed and shifted into the body of the warrior who had tried to contain the demon's spirit. After it stopped he walked up to the dead body of the wanderer, knelt down and pulled the red gem shard out of his forehead. Just as Dystrin was about to get up and leave, a hand grabbed his arm.  
  
"Thank you," said a wavering voice, "I am at last free."  
  
"Rest in peace, friend," said Dystrin, blessing the dying warrior. He then stood up and started walking out. Suddenly the ground began to shake. Pieces of the ceiling started to fall and the ground began to split. He started running, and started sprinting after hearing a scream that he recognized.  
  
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Her minions were falling quickly and she knew she would have to run soon. Just as the last revived demon fell, the ground began to shake violently, knocking her down. The attacking demons gave up and started retreating, seeing the sanctuary tearing itself apart. She returned to her feet in time to dodge a part of the rocky ceiling that had broken away.  
  
Stumbling she started to make her way out when a big dog-like demon pounced on her. She instinctively let out a cry, then recovering from the initial fright, started to defend herself with the poisonous dagger she used often to kill an opponent or in a ritual.  
  
Even though she was skilled in using the small blade, she was exhausted. The demon scratched her up badly before the young necromancer saw the familiar bluish blade run through its head, right before the creature was about to rip her throat out. The demon collapsed on top of her, blood poring from the freezing wound.  
  
As the demon was pushed off of her, a friendly face came into view. The paladin she had traveled here with had apparently defeated Diablo.  
  
"Took you long enough," she said in mock disappointment.  
  
"Yeah, well I managed to get here in time to save you," he smiled. He helped her to her feet.  
  
"You still have that hammer?" the paladin asked, as he helped her walk out of the collapsing sanctuary.  
  
"Yes, right here," she showed him. He set her down outside and started to heal her more serious wounds.  
  
"You look a little tired," he said.  
  
"You wish," she said grinning, "the next demon I see will end up with his head watching while I peal the skin from his body."  
  
"Still as morbid as ever I see," said the paladin helping the now healed necromancer to her feet.  
  
"You know you wouldn't want me any other way," she said, laughing at his expression.  
  
"You're as bad as the demons down here," he said looking disgusted, then smiled, "well maybe not 'as' bad."  
  
"Let's just destroy the soul gem," she said turning away from him, "you can fantasize later."  
  
"I would have you know," He started to say.  
  
"Oh, be quite," she said spotting some demons heading their way, "we have business to attend to."  
  
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Thank you for taking the time to read this story. 


	3. Baal

Dystrin and Zaren walked into the throne room as the last minotaur demon fell before them, blood coercing out of the hole in it's chest. The young barbarian that had decided to join them and the two necromancer's minions followed them in soon afterward. Baal stood up on his throne, a shield of souls spinning around him. The demon's head tilted sideways and he grinned. As he did, two souls from the shield around him flew at Zaren's minions. They burst apart and pieces scattered everywhere. Dystrin took several steps toward him.  
  
"Your brothers fell at my hand, and so shall you," said the paladin bravely.  
  
"I think someone would like to argue with you on that point" said the demon motioning behind them. They all turned around to see a misshapen form in blood-red full-plate armor and two huge spine covered demons walk in. "Let me introduce you," laughed Baal, "meet Bartuc the Bloody, and my two loyal servants."  
  
Zaren and the barbarian Vorard innately took a step backward. Dystrin turned back to the demon lord only to see Baal disappearing threw a portal. He ran after the great demon and dived into the portal just as it closed.  
  
Zaren started chanting, and Vorard readied his swords as Bartuc and the Minions of Destruction marched toward them.  
  
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Dystrin rolled to his feet as he hit the ground on the other side. He looked around and dodged behind a pillar as a bolt of unholy energy flew toward him. It crashed into the wall sending little pieces red stone flying everywhere. He immediately prayed to the heavens for the strength and speed he would need to win this battle. A red-orange glow started to surround his body.  
  
'Diablo was the strongest of them, it only figures that his brother should be easier to defeat' Dystrin told himself.  
  
"Don't forget mortal, my brother was weak at the time you fought him," said Baal, "he had only been in that body for a few months. I have possessed this body for centuries."  
  
"That won't stop my blade from cleaving your black heart out demon!" yelled the paladin.  
  
He ran out from behind the pillar and saw Baal standing in front of the worldstone. It's mystical red glow only overpowered by the dark aura Dystrin saw pouring from the Lord of Destruction. That is the gift Dystrin obtained from the Archangel Tyrael, to see into the soul and tell friend from foe. Baal's soul was pure black, with a red edge. This meant he was evil and he was hostile.  
  
Dystrin charged at the demon, but as he lashed out with his enchanted sword the demon teleported.  
  
"How can you kill something you can't touch?" the demon spat. Dystrin jumped out of the way as a wave of frost energy was directed his way. It hit a pillar to his left and froze it.  
  
"You'll have to do better than that" the paladin said jumping sideways just in time to dodge another energy bolt.  
  
Baal grinned evilly and started chanting. Dystrin ran forward, intent on stopping the demon from finishing his spell, only to be thrown back upon the spell's completion. He had been but a step away when the fiery energy rocketed from the demon body in all directions. Dystrin had put his shield up just in time to stop the hellfire from reaching him. His shield, even with its holy enchantment, was disintegrated.  
  
"Block this you worm!" roared the demon as he charged a ball of black energy and threw it at the paladin. Dystrin again jumped sideways but this time, as he watched the projectile, it turned and flew right back in his direction again. He held out his left hand and began to pray. The ball smashed into the paladin's hand sending him flying backward. Baal was laughing but stopped when Dystrin returned to his feet, a ball of black energy covered in a white light barrier in his hand.  
  
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Zaren had cast a few offensive spells at Bartuc, but found she soon only had enough time to try and counter all of his spells. Vorard had been valiantly fighting the two spine covered beasts, but he was soon put on the defensive as well. It went on that way for a while, and Zaren and Vorard were slowly pushed backward. Then a crystal Zaren had picked up in the arcane sanctuary started to glow.  
  
A voice sounded throughout the room and all the spells and fighting ceased. "My brother, Bartuc, what do you seek in the death of these mortals." The crystal floated up eye level with Zaren; "They couldn't possibly stop Baal, could they?"  
  
"Horazon stay out of this, you know nothing," Bartuc growled, "I will kill you soon enough."  
  
"Very well brother, if you want to finish this the hard way" the voice from the crystal said. Small bolts of electricity flew out of the crystal toward Zaren. Before she could even react the bolts had hit her and the crystal was embedded in her forehead. "You and I brother, we have become very much like the demons we gained our power from," spoke Zaren in a voice that didn't belong to her, "yet you are the one who sided with them."  
  
Zaren's hand elevated to eye level and two powerful bolts of lightning shot out. They turned the huge ugly demons that were fighting the barbarian into spiny piles of boiled blood and scalded flesh. Bartuc, to retaliate, raised his hand and summoned forth a pillar of flame that slammed into the barbarian, turning him to ashes. It almost reached Zaren who could feel its heat, but just like before the presence inside of her took control and counter spelled it.  
  
"Well now, we will see who is the greater shall we?" said Bartuc.  
  
"You will be disappointed," the strange voice said, "It will not turn out in your favor." Then the battle between the brothers began, and Zaren was helplessly dragged into it.  
  
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Dystrin threw the energy globe back at the surprised demon. Baal again teleported, reappearing next to the worldstone. The orb smashed into the wall and exploded, destroying the nearest pillar.  
  
"I see you didn't come unprepared," said Baal, "it wont help you, for you can barely battle me alone, how are you going to battle two of me?" Dystrin, hearing something behind him, looked. There he saw Baal; he looked back and forth for a second between the two demons then cursed.  
  
He rushed at the clone, who was closest, and started hitting it as fast as his blade would travel. He had sliced it in several places when suddenly he was picked off the ground. A bunch of snake-like appendages had grabbed his arms and legs and lifted him off the ground. The clone he had been fighting slowly froze solid and melted, due to the enchantment on Dystrin's weapon.  
  
He was slowly turned around by the appendages to face the real Baal. "You are becoming quite an annoyance mortal," the demon said.  
  
"Good, anything to hinder you," said Dystrin in a harsh whisper due to the tentacle wrapped around his mid-section. He had been stuck a few times by the clone and was bleeding from several slashes across his face and broken chest armor.  
  
"An annoyance that I am now going to rid myself of," Baal hissed. Then he raised his arm, the many tentacle-like fingers glowing with unholy energy, ready to strike the paladin down.  
  
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The battle between the brothers raged on for quite a while, each brother appeared to be equal to the other. Horazon, however, while being not as good in close quarter combat proved to be the greater summoner. His abilities in that area were enhanced by Zaren's power, since he inhabited her body. Soon Bartuc was overwhelmed by demons and undead creatures of all kinds and was ripped to shreds, his soul sent back to hell along with his blood red armor.  
  
The crystal removed itself from Zaren's forehead and she collapsed to the ground. "Hurry along child, your friend is in trouble," the crystal said. The portal that had been previously closed was open again.  
  
Zaren stood up and watched the crystal for a brief second before disappearing through the portal to save her friend.  
  
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'I did what I could' Dystrin told himself as he watched the demonic fist start its decent to kill him. As it got within a foot of its target area, however, a magical lance of bone slammed into it. The appendages dropped the paladin and he rolled away from the demon. He returned to his feet in time to see Zaren summon two more bone spears to pierce the demon lords body, then she dived behind a pillar to avoid a massive ball of flame.  
  
Dystrin took his chance; he ran up behind Baal and shoved his glowing sword into the hellish creature's back. The demonic howl that rang form Baal's mouth caused all the walls to crack and the nearest pillars to crumble. Dystrin was thrown back against the wall and most of his armor fell from his body in small pieces.  
  
Baal turned to the paladin and started toward him. He could feel his back slowly freezing, so he reached around quickly and pull the sword free. That blade was replaced by another, poisonous, one. He rounded on the attacker, only to find that it was a clay golem holding a ceremonial dagger. Baal could feel the toxins spending quickly threw his body, quickly deteriorating it.  
  
He ripped the golem apart and turned to the paladin, determined to at least kill him before dying himself. A bone wall erupted in the area between him and the paladin, and Baal turned the see the necromancer that the paladin had been traveling with standing ten feet behind him. He went to charge her, but instead stumbled with a sudden weakness. His vision hazed and he saw three necromancers standing in front of him.  
  
He began throwing all sorts of magic at the necromancer. But she easily dodged his magic due to bad aim. Before long his spirit was as drained as his body and with one last spell, he collapsed. Baal's dark soul floated up out of the dead body and returned into the soul stone.  
  
Zaren walked over and picked the yellow, glowing stone up. Dystrin limped over to her.  
  
"Well, I guess we have one more trip to make eh?" said the necromancer looking at the stone.  
  
"Yeah, I guess," said Dystrin, and then the entire chamber began to shake.  
  
"How do we get out of here?" asked Zaren.  
  
"I can help with that," a mystical voice said. They both looked up to see Tyrael floating down. "Thank you, my friends, the world owes you a great debt, but I shall have to destroy the worldstone regardless of your efforts. Baal's touch has corrupted the stone, and if not destroyed it will open the gates of hell, and the world will belong to its evil lords. I will take Baal's soul stone and destroy it along with the worldstone." Zaren gave him the stone and Tyrael created a portal for them to travel through.  
  
"I know not how this will change your world, but I can only hope it is for the better. Goodbye my friends." A portal opened up a couple feet away.  
  
"Goodbye Tyrael," said Dystrin and he turn to the portal. Zaren just waved and followed the paladin.  
  
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"Do you think that Tyrael could have put us any farther away from civilization?" Zaren asked sarcastically.  
  
Dystrin looked at the mountain they were climbing down. "Well we ended up in that barbarian village, but you wanted to get away from them a fast as possible so here we are."  
  
"Blame it on me then, if it makes you feel more superior" Zaren said, pouting.  
  
Dystrin walked up to her, "Oh dark one, how could I ever feel more superior to such a." he stopped.  
  
"A what?" she said looking up at him curiously.  
  
"A," he stopped again smiling, "a snob." He then backed away from her laughing.  
  
"A what!" she yelled, her face turning red. She didn't wait for an answer; she tackled him. This began a long roll down the mountainside and into history.  
  
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Thanks to my reviewers FENIXguy, Zerglinster, Chaos Wolf, Mega- Obskira, Dark-Elk, and Familiar_Face. I hope you enjoyed this part as you did the first. 


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